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Song Name: Bhaja Bhakata Vatsala
Official Name: Sri Surabhi Kunjer Bhoga Arotik (Arati Kirtan Song 4)
Author: Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Book Name: Gitavali
Language: Bengali

LYRICS:

(1)
bhaja bhakata-vatsala śrī-gaurahari
śrī-gaurahari sohi goṣṭha-bihārī
nanda-jaśomatī-citta-hari

(bhaja govinda govinda gopāla)

(2)
belā ho’lo dāmodara āisa ekhano
bhoga-mandire bosi’ koraho bhojana

(3)
nandera nideśe baise giri-bara-dhārī
baladeva-saha sakhā baise sāri sāri

(4)
śuktā-śākādi bhāji nālitā kuṣmāṇḍa
dāli dālnā dugdha-tumbī dadhi mocā-khaṇḍa

(5)
mudga-borā māṣa-borā roṭikā ghṛtānna
śaṣkulī piṣṭaka khīr puli pāyasānna

(6)
karpūra amṛta-keli rambhā khīra-sāra
amṛta rasālā, amla dwādaśa prakāra

(7)
luci cini sarpurī lāḍḍu rasābalī
bhojana korena kṛṣṇa ho’ye kutūhalī

(8)
rādhikāra pakka anna vividha byañjana
parama ānande kṛṣṇa korena bhojana

(9)
chale-bale lāḍḍu khāy śrī-madhumaṅgala
bagala bājāy āra deya hari-bolo

(10)
rādhikādi gaṇe heri’ nayanera koṇe
tṛpta ho’ye khāy kṛṣṇa jaśodā-bhavane

(11)
bhojanānte piye kṛṣṇa subāsita bāri
sabe mukha prakhāloy ho’ye sāri sāri

(12)
hasta-mukha prakhāliyā jata sakhā-gaṇe
ānande biśrāma kore baladeva-sane

(13)
jambula rasāla āne tāmbūla-masālā
tāhā kheye kṛṣṇa-candra sukhe nidrā gelā

(14)
biśālākha śikhi-puccha-cāmara ḍhulāya
apūrba śayyāya kṛṣṇa sukhe nidrā jāya.

(15)
jaśomatī-ājñā pe’ye dhaniṣṭhā-ānīto
śrī-kṛṣṇa-prasāda rādhā bhuñje ho’ye prīto

(16)
lalitādi sakhī-gaṇa avaśeṣa pāya
mane mane sukhe rādhā-kṛṣṇa-guṇa gāya

(17)
hari-līlā ek-mātra jāhāra pramoda
bhogārati gāy ṭhākur bhakativinoda

Translation:

1 ) Worship Śri Gaurahari, who is always very affectionate to His devotees. Lord Caitanya, Who is always having pastimes with many devotees, is Kṛṣṇa Himself, the same personality who has stolen the heart of Yaśodā-Nanda.

2) Mother Yaśodā calls Kṛṣṇa: “Come on, the time has come for Your meal. Now come down to the hall.”

3) The holder of Govardhana Hill sits down next to Śrī Baladeva and all His friends,

4) and they are served with a feast of śuktā (a bitter tasting wet vegetable which increases the appetite), then nice fried things, then squash and white squash with ḍāla (dahl) and thick yogurt, and vegetables made from the flower of the banana tree.

5) Then there are fried squares of mung ḍāla paddy and urad ḍāla paddies (baḍā), capatis and rice with ghee. Then there are sweets, cakes, thick creams, cakes floating in milk, sweet rice,

6) bananas, cheese and cream boiled together, twelve different kinds of chutneys,

7) purīs made with white flour and sugar, thick cream (skin of milk) lāḍḍus, and ḍāla paddies boiled in sugar rice.

8) Eating these nice foodstuffs, Kṛṣṇa feels great joy and ecstasy. Rādhārāṇī Herself cooks various kinds of vegetables.

9) Kṛṣṇa’s brāhmaṇa friend Madhumaṅgala is very fond of lāḍḍus, and when he eats them he shouts, “Hari bol! Hari bol!” and makes a funny sound by slapping his sides under his armpits with his hands.

10) Rādhārāṇī and Her gopī friends greatly delight at how Kṛṣṇa takes prasāda at Yaśodā’s house.

11-14) After taking sweets, Kṛṣṇa is served with sweet drinks scented with rose water. Then all the friends of Kṛṣṇa line up to wash their hands and mouths, and Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma go to take rest. They take pan with fancy spices and catechu and very happily take Their rest and are fanned with a tail fan by His servant Viśālākṣa.

15) Śrī Dhaniṣṭhā is one of Kṛṣṇa’s servants, and by Mother Yaśodā’s orders he brings the prasāda that is left on Kṛṣṇa’s plate, and Rādhārāṇī eats it.

16) Lalitā-sakhī and all the other gopīs also receive His prasāda and in their hearts also sing the glories of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

17) Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says: “There is no other happiness than that which is found in the pastimes of Śrī Hari.”

 Remarks/ Extra Information:

This is the Bhoga Arotik which was greatly popularized by the 1970 album “The Rādhā Kṛṣṇa Temple” produced by George Harrison.

Bhaktivinod Thakur has written a song Bhoga Arati which he composed at his home at Surabhi-kuñja in Godruṁa-dvīpa in Mayapur India. This song is taken from the book Gitavali (Section: Arati Kirtan Song 4). Bhaktivinoda Thakura glorifies Lord Caitanya, and talks about the different delicacies prepared by Sri Rādhā for Sri Kṛṣṇa. There are various delicacies both sweet and sour prepared for Sri Kṛṣṇa, Balarama and His sakha’s. The remnants of the food are thoroughly enjoyed by Sri Rādhā and her sakhis. Eating those remnants their heart is filled with bliss and satisfaction.